Intro
Ever wonder what happens when airlines design meals in test kitchens versus what actually lands on your tray at 35,000 feet?
Thai Airways invited me behind the scenes at their Bangkok headquarters to see how 90,000 daily meals get planned, tested, and executed.
From Dom Pรฉrignon presentations to economy box meals, here’s what the development process reveals about what passengers actually receive.
The Operation
Thai Airways Catering began operations in 1960, producing 500 meals daily with a staff of ten in the kitchen for the Bangkok-Hong Kong route.
Today, they prepare over 90,000 meals daily for 60 airlines, including Singapore Airlines, ANA, Korean Air, and Qatar Airways. (At the time of writing)
The growth trajectory tells the story of aviation’s expansion: from 500 meals daily in 1960 to 6,000 by 1967, 15,000 by 1979, and 46,000 by 2006.
This 180-fold increase in production scale while maintaining original recipes shows remarkable consistency.
The facility also services airline lounges at Bangkok Airport for carriers like Singapore Airlines, EVA Air, and Thai Airways itself.
Current airline customers include ANA, Singapore Airlines, EVA Air, Korean Air, Gulf Air, Qatar Airways, Mahan Air, and Bhutan Air.
Many original recipes from the 1960s remain in the current rotation, explaining the consistency that frequent flyers recognise.
The facility sources 70% of ingredients locally, with premium proteins like beef imported from New Zealand and 155 tonnes of white sea bass used annually.
Since 2017, first and business class crews plate meals in the galley rather than serving pre-plated dishes.
The shift to galley plating in premium cabins affects both presentation quality and service timing.
While this allows for fresher presentation, it requires additional crew training and galley preparation time that can impact overall service flow.
First Class
With Thai Airways planning to phase out first class by 2027/28, this behind-the-scenes look captures the development process for a service tier that may soon be aviation history.
First-class meals are served on Patra Porcelain tableware, accompanied by extensive menus and a Dom Pรฉrignon service.
The development kitchen creates dishes served in courses: canapรฉs, caviar service, mains, and desserts.
These elaborate presentations demonstrate the complexity possible in first class but require significant galley space and crew expertise to execute properly during flight service.
Sample dishes:
Spiced mince pork with tamarind paste and lobster medallion, accompanied by basil pesto, pistachio cream cheese tartlet, salmon roe, and tobiko.
English muffin breakfast with fried eggs, champignon, cheddar cheese, grilled ham, pommes chรขteau fondant, buttered asparagus, and stem tomatoes.
The fruit presentations use pineapple centrepieces with kiwi, papaya, mango, cantaloupe, and dragon fruit.
Business Class
Business class features a Royal Porcelain presentation, with a focus on Thai desserts.
Traditional Thai desserts include:
Look Chup – yellow bean paste with sugar and gelatine.
Kanom Khao Tom Mud – traditional wrapped sweets.
Baked Egg Custard – A Thai-style custard preparation.
Kanom Sod Sai – stuffed traditional pastries.
Banana in syrup – classic Thai dessert preparation.
These desserts require specialised preparation techniques that maintain authenticity while adapting to altitude service constraints.
Economy Class
Long-haul economy passengers receive two hot meal choices, while shorter flights get meal boxes or snack bags.
The development process focuses on dishes that retain flavour and texture after reheating in aircraft ovens.
Standard options include chicken with rice or beef with noodles, with fruit salads, pastries, and ice cream.
Conclusion
Economy class focuses on reliability over creativity, which reflects the challenge of mass catering at altitude.
The local ingredient sourcing and retained recipes from 1960 explain why Thai Airways maintains consistent flavour profiles that frequent flyers recognise.
The elaborate test kitchen presentations translate to varying degrees depending on cabin class and operational constraints.
First and business class benefit from complex preparations, while economy prioritises consistency and efficiency.
Understanding the development process helps set realistic expectations for what actually arrives at your seat versus marketing presentations.
Thanks to Thai Airways for providing behind-the-scenes access to their Bangkok headquarters and kitchen operations.
